Dear saints,
Our church celebrates God’s love for the queer community with Pride! The Human Rights Campaign reports that 525 Anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in 41 states, with more than 75 bills signed into law as of June 5. Many restrict gender-affirming care for youth and this accelerating trend is fueled by organizations tied to churches; it is therefore associated with Christianity in the public eye.
The resulting social stigma (sometimes from church and family) is the main reason LGBTQ+ youth are more than 4 times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers. These laws and the rhetoric surrounding them cause demonstrable harm and these bills are becoming law in Georgia.
One way Christians can embody Christ’s love for the world right now is to articulate a Biblical and theological framework for this claim: God loves you, just as you are, and so do we. This is a truth All Saints’ has lived for decades, it comes from the Gospel, and it is our time to proclaim it with joy.
First, God celebrates the splendid diversity of creation. In Genesis 1, we take a seven-day nature hike through creation. God celebrates all that God has made at the end of each day (including the diversity of humankind), and God “calls it good.” God loves you, just as you are, and so do we.
Second, Bishop Curry says it well, “If it’s not about love, it’s not about God.” In "What the Bible Says—and Doesn’t Say—About Homosexuality" Bible scholar Mel White explores the seven texts that discuss same-gender relations in the Bible. He provides detailed context and concludes, based on the text, that these passages do not address mutual, consensual, loving queer relationships as we know them today. The texts are critiquing unjust power dynamics, among other things. The most important thing to know about the Bible is that we follow Jesus and his way of love, that God’s preferred and promised future for the world is defined by just compassion for all, and that the Holy Spirit has a role for you and for me in this transformative work.
Third, a theology of liberation follows God’s passionate concern for the poor, marginalized, and oppressed. Consider the people Jesus spends most of his time talking to and about: women, foreigners, Samaritans, sick folk. Consider the prophets and their constant call to protect widows, orphans, and strangers. These were groups that had been cast aside and forgotten. They were suffering, and God called people to love them. Our baptismal covenant calls us to do the same, ”To seek and serve Christ in all people, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.”
Finally, our prophetic tradition invites us to speak about justice, which is the public embodiment of love. Partisan politics aside, when forces of oppression are on the march—our queer siblings are under legislative assault right now—we have a role to play, work to do and a Gospel to proclaim. May we be a proud and joyful voice in the public square, proclaiming God’s unconditional love for all creation. God loves you, just as you are, and so do we!
Sincerely,
Andy+
